Apparatus for adjusting articles



April 19, 1955 c. c. MOCAIN 2,706,512

APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING ARTICLES Filed May 28. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l M/WWMR C. c. McCA/A/ April 19, 1955 c, c, cCAIN 2,706,512

APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING ARTICLES Filed May 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 19, 1955 c. MOCN 2,706,512

APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING ARTICLES Filed May 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A 770mm 6.6. MCCAIN April 19, 1955 c c, c 2,706,512

APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING ARTICLES Filed May 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W I will] 2 ci ia 31 w k I .s- 5/ APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING ARTICLES Cecil C. McCain, Glen Ellyn, 11.,

Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, corporation of New York Application May 28, 1952, Serial No. 290,483 6 Claims. (Cl. 15316) assignor to Western N. Y., a

This invention relates to apparatus for adjusting articles, and more particularly to apparatus for aligning arms of telephone switch hooks.

In the manufacture of combined telephone sets of a type including a forked switch hook having arms engaged by a plunger mechanism actuated by lifting a handset off the telephone set to close a switch, it is essential to have the arms of the hook in predetermined positions relative to a switch-actuating portion of the hook. Hitherto, it has been necessary to adjust the arms of the hooks manually by trial and error methods which required substantial expenditure of time and labor.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for adjusting articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for aligning arms of telephone switch hooks.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for holding a portion of a switch hook in a predetermined position, bending arms of the hook in one direction to apply a predetermined set thereto and then bending the arms of the hook to predetermined positions relative to the held portion of the hook.

An apparatus illustrating certain features of the invention may include means for clamping in a predetermined position a portion of an article having an arm projecting therefrom, means movable relative to the clamping means for bending the arm in one direction and means movable relative to the clamping means for moving the arm in a second direction.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of an apparatus forming a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical section of an apparatus forming one embodiment of the invention taken along line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken of the horizontal section taken along apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical section similar to Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 6. 7

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown therein an apparatus designed to bend arms 10 (Figs. 1 and 2) of a switch hook 11 mounted by a pin 12 on a bracket 13 fixed to a base 14 of a telephone set 15. The set is slid onto a support 16 having a depression 17 formed therein to facilitate insertion of the set until abutments 20 and 21 (Fig. 2) formed on a fixed bar 24 are engaged by a reference plate 19 of the hook 11 near the arms thereof, and an abutment 22 having a clearance notch 28 is engaged by the reference plate of the hook 11 so that the reference plate 19 of the hook 111 is in a predetermined position. The bar 24 is fixed to side walls 25 and 26 (Fig. 2), and includes clearance slots 27 for the arms 10.

A cylinder (Fig. 6) may be actuated by an operator to reciprocate through one cycle a piston rod 36 by means of a piston (not shown), and the piston rod 36 moves up and down a cam carrier 40 secured there- 2,706,512 Patented Apr. 19, 195-5 to and guided by rollers 39 in grooves 38. The rollers 39 are supported by the walls 25 and 26. As the cam carrier is moved up, it first moves a cam 41 having a lobe portion 42 beyond a follower roll 43, and a compression spring 44 (Fig. 3) urges a rod 45 carrying the support 16 upwardly to force the base 14 into engagement with stops 48 (Fig. 2), which locate the set vertically. The rod 45 is connected by a pivotal and sliding joint 46 to a link 47. This movement locates the bracket 13 and the hook 11 in predetermined positions, and the spring 44 (Fig. 3) holds the support 16 in its raised position throughout the remainder of the upward travel of the cam carrier 40.

After the base 14 and the hook 11 are so positioned, a cam 50 (Fig. 1) fixed to the cam carrier 40 moves out of engagement with a follower roll 51. The follower roll 51 is mounted on a bellcrank 49 mounted pivotally on the walls 25 and 26, and a spring 53 pulls the bellcrank 49 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, to force rollers 55 against rollers 56 mounted on levers 57 to the right. The lever 57 is connected by a pin 60 to a bar 58 fastened to pull rods 59, and pulls the rods 59 to the right to force a U-shaped clamp 64 against the reference plate 19 of the hook 11, and this condition is maintained throughout the remainder of the upward travel of the cam carrier 40 and until the carrier returns. The clamp 64 normally is urged to the left by compression springs 65, and the rods 59 are supported in guide bores 66 in the fixed bar 24.

During the next portion of the upward movement of the cam carrier 40, a cam 70 moves out from under a follower roll 71 so that strikers 72 are actuated by a spring 73 to bend the arms 10 upwardly above their correct positions, and a cam 74 then moves under a follower roll '75 to retract the strikers 72. An arm 76 of a lever 77 mounted pivotally on the walls 25 and 26 by pins 78 carries the follower rolls 71 and 75. The cam 70 is fixed rigidly to the cam bar 40, and is aligned with the follower roll 71. The cam 74 is provided with a slot 80 into which a pin 81 fixed to the cam carrier 40 projects, and the cam 74 also has tapped bores 82 into which screws 83 are threaded. The screws 83 (Figs. 4 and 5) project through slots 84 formed in brackets 85 fixed to the wall 25. Compression springs 86 mounted on the screws 83 pull the cam 74 against the brackets 85, which frictionally hold the cam 74 against movement except by the pin 81. The spring 73 is secured at one end to a bar 87 mounted on the walls 25 and 26, and projects through a slot 88 in the carrier 40 which provides clearance for the spring when the cam carrier is moved.

A n arm 90 (Fig. 1) of the lever 77 is connected by a pivotal and sliding joint 89 to an arm 91 of a bellcrank 92 mounted by pins 93 on the walls 25 and 26 and carrying the strikers 72 on arms 94 thereof. The joint 89 is identical with the joint 46, and includes a block 95 slidable in a guide 96 formed on the arm 90. The block 95 is mounted pivotally on the arm 91 by a pin 97 to permit pivoting between the arms 90 and 91.

During the first portion of the upward movement of the cam carrier 40, it carried the pin 81 upwardly in the slot 80 from the position of the pin 81 shown in Fig. 1 to engagement with the top of the slot 80, as shown in Fig. 3. After the hook 11 has been clamped and the arms 10 bent upwardly, the pin 81 reaches the end of the slot 80 and moves the cam 74 upwardly with the cam bar 40 to move the cam 74 to the position thereof shown in Fig. 6, the screws 83 moving upwardly in the slots 84 in the brackets 85. This subsequent movement moves a cam 100 into engagement with a follower roll 101 mounted on an arm 102 of a lever 103 mounted by pins 104 on the walls 25 and 26. As the cam carrier 40 moves on upwardly, the cam 100 pivots the lever 103 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, against the action of a spring 107 secured to a fixed bar 108 mounted on the walls. The lever 103 moves strikers 109 carried by an arm 110 thereof downwardly into engagement with the arms 10 of the book 11 to bend the arms to predetermined positions relative to the reference plate 19. A stop 112 is provided to limit clockwise movement of the lever 103.

Operation The telephone set is moved onto the support 16 until the reference plate 19 engages the abutments 20 and 21 of the fixed bar 24. The cylinder (Fig. 6) is actuated by an operator to reciprocate the piston 36 through one cycle, and the piston 36 reciprocates the cam carrier 40. As the cam carrier is moved up, it first moves the cam 41 thereof beyond the follower roll 43, and the compression spring 44 (Fig. 3) urges the support 16 upwardly to force the base 14 into engagement with the stops 48 (Fig. 2), which locate the set. After the base 14 and the book 11 are so positioned, a cam 50 (Fig. l) fixed to the cam carrier moves out of engagement with the follower roll 51, and the spring 53 pulls the bellcrank 49 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, to force the U-shaped clamp 64 against the reference plate 19 of the hook 11, and this condition is maintained until the cam is moved under the follower roll 51 again.

The cam carrier 40 then moves the cam 70 out of engagement with the follower roll 71 to actuate the strikers 72 to bend the arms 10 upwardly above their correct positions. After the arms 1010 have been bent upwardly by the strikers 72, the pin 81 reaches the end of the slot 80 and moves the cam 74 upwardly with the cam carrier 40 to retract the strikers 72, the screws 83 moving upwardly in the slots 84 in the brackets 85. Then the cam 1G0 actuates the lever 103 to move strikers 109 into engagement with the arms 10 of the hook 11 to bend the arms to the desired positions relative to the reference plate 19.

The control system of the cylinder 35 then reverses the movement of the piston 36 and the cam carrier 40, and during the first portion of the movement downwardly of the cam carrier 40, the cam 100 moves out of engagement with the follower roll 101 so that the spring 107 retracts the strikers 109. Meanwhile, the cam 74 is held in its upper position by friction between it and the brackets 85. The cam 74 is held in this position until the cam 70 has been moved fully under the follower roll 71. Hence, the strikers 72 are not actuated during the downward stroke of the cam carrier 40. Further downward movement of the cam carrier 40 releases the clamp 64, and the cam 41 then rolls under the follower roll 43 to lower the support 16, after which the set 15 having its hook arms 10 properly adjusted is removed from the apparatus.

The above-described apparatus serves to adjust the arms 10 relative t the reference plate 19 very accurately, inasmuch as the arms are first bent to predetermined positions on one side of adjustment and then are bent back to correct positions. The apparatus automatically clamps, forms and releases the switch hooks once the set is placed in the apparatus and the apparatus is started.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for bending articles, which comprises a clamp for holding an article in a predetermined position, means movable relative to the clamp for bending the article, a carrier movable through a forward stroke and a return stroke, a cam fixed to the carrier for actuating the clamp, means urging the bending means toward operation, a second cam fixed to the carrier for holding the bending means inoperative until the clamping means has been actuated, a third cam for holding the bending means inoperative, lost motion means connecting the third cam to the carrier for moving the third cam so as to retract the bending means after the second cam has permitted operation of the bending means, and means for holding the third cam against movement with the second cam securing the initial portion of the return stroke of the carrier to hold the bending means retracted until the second cam is moved into restraining relationship with the bending means during the return stroke of the carrier, said cam-holding means serving to hold the third cam against movement with the carrier during the initial portion of the forward stroke of the cam.

2. An apparatus for bending articles, which comprises a clamp for holding an article in a predetermined position, means movable relative to the clamp for bending the arm of the article, a cam, means for moving the cam through a forward stroke and a return stroke, means urging the bending means toward operation, a second cam fixed against movement relative to the first cam for holding the bending means inoperative until the clamping means has been actuated, a third cam for holding the bending means inoperative, lost motion means connecting the third cam to the first and second cams for moving the bending means so as to retract the bending means after the second cam has permitted operation of the bending means and hold the bending means retracted until the second cam is moved into restraining relationship with the bending means during the return stroke of the first cam, and means for restraining the third cam against movement with the first and second cams during the initial portions of the forward and return strokes of the first and second cams.

3. An apparatus for bending articles, which comprises a clamp for holding in a predetermined position a portion of an article having an arm projecting from said portion, a bender, a carrier plate, means for moving the carrier plate edgewise through a forward stroke and a return stroke, a cam follower operatively connected to the clamp, a cam on the plate for actuating the follower to render the clamp operative shortly after the start of the forward stroke of the carrier plate until near the end of the return stroke of the carrier plate, means urging the bender from a retracted position toward an operative position, a second cam follower operatively connected to the bender for holding the bender in its retracted position, a second cam fixed to the carrier plate for engaging the second follower to hold the bender in its retracted position only until the clamp has been actuated on the forward stroke of the carrier plate and just before the release of the clamp during the return stroke of the carrier plate, a third cam for engaging the second follower to hold the bender in its retracted position, lost motion means connecting the third cam means to the carrier plate, and means holding the third cam against movement except by the lost motion means.

4. An apparatus for bending articles, which comprises a clamp for holding in a predetermined position a portion of an article having an arm projecting from said portion, a bender, a carrier plate, means for moving the carrier plate edgewise through a forward stroke and a return stroke, a cam follower operatively connected to the clamp, a cam on the plate for actuating the follower to render the clamp operative shortly after the start of the forward stroke of the carrier plate until near the end of the return stroke of the carrier plate, means urging the b ender from a retracted position toward an operative position, a cam follower operatively connected to the bender for holding the bender in its retracted position, a second cam fixed to the carrier plate for engaging the second follower to hold the bender in its retracted position only until the clamp has been actuated on the forward stroke of the carrier plate and during the release of the clamp dur ng the return stroke of the carrier plate, a third cam havlng a slot therein for engaging the second follower to move the bender to and hold it in its retracted position, means tending to hold the third cam against movement with the carrier plate, and a pin carried by the plate pro ecting into the slot for moving the third cam when the pin engages an end of the slot.

5. An apparatus for bending articles, which comprises a clamp for holding in a predetermined position a base portion of a switch hook having a pair of arms project ng from sa1d base portion, a bender for bending the arms in one direction, a carrier plate, means for moving the carrler plate endwise through a forward stroke and a return stroke, a cam follower operatively connected to the clamp, a cam on the plate for actuating the follower to render the clamp operative shortly after the start of the forward stroke of the carrier plate until near the end of the return stroke of the carrier plate, means urging the bender from a retracted position toward an operative position, a second cam follower operatively connected to the bender for holding the bender in its retracted posit1on, a second cam fixed to the carrier plate for engaging the second follower to hold the bender in its retracted position only until the clamp has been actuated on the forward stroke of the carrier plate and during the release of the clamp during the return stroke of the carrier plate, a third cam for engaging the second follower to move the bender to its retracted position and hold it there, lost in one direction,

motion means connecting the plate to the third cam, means holding the third carn against movement except by the lost motion means, a second bender for bending the arms in a direction opposite to that in which they are bent by the first bender, and a fourth cam carried by the plate for actuating the second bender after the first bender has been operated.

6. An apparatus for bending switch hooks, which comprises a clamp for holding in a predetermined position a base portion of a switch hook having a pair of arms projecting from said portion, a support for holding a set including the switch hook, a bender for bending the arms a carrier plate, means for moving the carrier plate endwise through a forward stroke and a return stroke, a cam follower for moving the support toward the clamp to move the switch hook into position to be clamped, a cam carried by the plate for actuating the follower, a second cam follower operatively connected to the clamp, a second cam on the plate for actuating the second follower to render the clamp operative after the operation of the first clamp and shortly after the start of the forward stroke of the carrier plate until near the end of the return stroke of the carrier plate, means urging the bender from a retracted position toward an operative position, a third cam follower operatively connected to the bender for holding the bender in its retracted position, a third cam fixed to the carrier plate for engaging the follower to hold the bender in its retracted position only until the clamp has been actuated on the forward stroke of the carrier plate and during the release of the clamp during the return stroke of the carrier plate, a fourth cam for moving the bender to its retracted position and holding it there, lost motion means carried by the plate for actuating the fourth cam, means holding the third cam against movement except by the lost motion means, a second bender for bending the arms in a direction opposite to that in which the first bender bends them, and a fifth cam for actuating the second bender while the fourth'cam is operative.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,336,543 Stull Apr. 13, 1920 2,251,967 Yoder Aug. 12, 1941 2,278,639 Bauberger et al Apr. 7, 1942 2,498,496 Jullie Feb. 21, 1950 

